This cornbread is packed with cheese, onions, and whole corn, and flavored with bacon drippings. Need I say more? This recipe is inspired by a favorite of my friend Lynn from her The Southern Living Cookbook. Lynn likes to make hers with Shoepeg white corn. We used regular yellow corn and it turned out terrific. Perfect with chili.
The recipe calls for the corn bread to be baked in the oven in a cast iron skillet. We serve the corn bread at the table directly from the skillet, the benefit being that because the cast iron holds its heat so well, the corn bread stays warm throughout the entire meal.
Recipe updated Oct 12, 2012
Cheesy Skillet Cornbread Recipe
PrintMake sure your baking powder is fresh. Baking powder over 6 months old tends to lose its leavening power.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup milk
- 3 Tbsp bacon drippings (warmed to liquid), plus 1 teaspoon to grease the pan
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup of cooked corn, either fresh, defrosted frozen corn, or drained from a can
Method
1 Place a 9 or 10-inch cast iron pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2 In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, and salt. Add remaining ingredients, and stir until just combined.
3 Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven (remember the handle is hot!). Place a teaspoon of bacon fat in the bottom of the hot pan and swirl it around until it is all melted and coating the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter from the mixing bowl into the pan. Remember to put a pot holder over the hot handle of the pan and return it to the oven.
4 Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let the cornbread cool in the pan. Remember that the handle is hot and will stay hot for quite some time. I recommend rubbing an ice cube over the handle to cool it down, just to avoid someone burning their hand if they attempt to move the pan before it has cooled down enough.
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Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
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Great recipe but my mom adds hot grease to batter.
Hi!! I loved the sound of this recipe, I have never made cornbread before, and mine was horrible!! I followed it to a “T”, but it tasted like straight cornmeal! We didn’t taste the cheese, the bacon, butter, etc…, where did I go wrong? It sounds too great to not try again, maybe more sugar or cheese? I didn’t have a cast iron skillet before I saw this, but I did go out and purchase a new one at Wal~Mart for $15, and I love it! I know it is hard to help me out, you were not here for dinner this year (maybe next year! ) but any small suggestions would be great!
Check second hand stores or yard sales for cast iron, even rusty ones can be reconditioned for a lifetime of use!
I’ve used glass baking pans, brownie pans and cast iron for cornbread successfully. Good luck!
I made this tonight to go with our traditional New Year’s dinner of hoppin’ john, collard greens and ham. My husband is from the South but has never like cornbread (or hushpuppies) but he LOVED this recipe! Thanks so much Elise! We are adding this to our collection of family favorites!
Not the southern cornbread I grew up with in SC, but it was seriously yummy! I made it to go with some white bean and chicken chili and the combo was fantastic. Next time I’m going to add some chopped bell and jalapeno pepper for some more kick – add a Tex/Mex flavor. Thanks for a new cornbread recipe!